"big brother" news and stories

There are times, especially when I really love my meal, that I wonder what other people think of my mid-chew countenance. I remember many a late-night meal at Lincoln Diner in Gettysburg, moaning over my cheese omelet and fries -- not looking up until I was finished. But wondering what your fellow patrons is a lot different than being studied by researchers.

According to Yahoo, there's a cafe in the Netherlands that tracks the entire dining experience in order to study the subtleties of food and dining. We're talking what they pick up, which wrapping they prefer, and even how much they weigh. "Discreet ceiling cameras can zoom in on a face or a plate, or pull back to view a table or broad section of the lunchroom. They record not only what food you selected, but what you almost selected and how long you paused before deciding. Facial recognition software analyzes your level of enjoyment."

To be fair, only those signed up for this experiment can eat in the cafeteria, but it's still strange. Next time you see someone watching you eat, give them a show -- maybe they're a less covert researcher! As for the study, it just goes to show how much every little thing counts.

[via Serious Eats]

Recognizing that television is not the sole media source that children are exposed to, British ministers are wondering whether a proposal that bans junk food ads on television will be effective. As a result, they are now considering whether to add restrictions to the ad content of websites, computer games, cinemas and packaging, as well as corporate school sponsorships. Such measures "could be voluntary or compulsory depending on the response of the food industry." Strict measures like these are being supported by the Labour Party and various parent groups.

The Food Standards Agency, backing the ban, has devised a "nutrient profiling system" to identify "junk foods" according to their nutritional information. It could be used to determine whether or not a food product could be advertised if a ban becomes legislation.

Ofcom, a television regular, thinks that measures like this seem too strict. A pre-9pm television ban alone would cost networks and advertisers at least £141 million, but there is not telling what the cost of essentially prohibiting "junk food" ads would be.

Source